Table of Contents

Assembly Stages

February, 7 2001
U.S. Laboratory Module
Flight 5A; STS-98

Shuttle Discovery will carry the first Station laboratory, built by the U.S. and the centerpiece of future research activity on the International Space Station.

On February 7, 2001, Space Shuttle Atlantis embarked on Flight 5A/STS-98, an 8.5-million kilometre voyage that would make 202 orbits of the Earth. The objective of the mission was to continue the task of building the International Space Station, by delivering the U.S. laboratory module. Atlantis spent six days docked to the Station, while the laboratory was attached, and three space walks were undertaken to complete its assembly.

The U.S. Laboratory Module Destiny is considered the centrepiece of the International Space Station, in the sense that the 8.5-metre long, 14 tonne aluminum module containing many racks for scientific experiments will help fulfill the primary mission of the International Space Station, which is to establish the world’s leading space-based research facility, for the benefit of humanity.

Destiny will provide Canada and its 14 partners in the Space Station with the opportunity to pursue scientific and technological research in the unique environment of microgravity. While Destiny is primarily the U.S. workstation on board the Space Station, it will also be accessible to astronauts and cosmonauts of other nationalities, who are undertaking scientific research in a wide range of disciplines.

Canada’s contribution to the Space Station has earned it valuable research time in the world-class Destiny Laboratory Module. Canada’s Microgravity Science Program (MSP) was established to give researchers in companies and universities experience in designing and building experiments and equipment for space. The MSP will enable researchers to conduct experiments in the unique microgravity environment of the International Space Station to obtain valuable insight into the cardiovascular system, bones, brain and effects of radiation on humans. These studies are being applied to address human disorders including cancer and bone diseases such as osteoporosis, an ailment that affects over one million Canadians. Other experiments are supporting ongoing research related to proteins and biotechnologies, fluid and combustion sciences, advanced materials sciences as well as fundamental physics and chemistry.

The Shuttle also brought specialized Canadian robotics software to the International Space Station (ISS). This Canadian technology is crucial to operate the next-generation robotic arm for the ISS.

This is an important milestone in a series of missions scheduled over the next four months. The culmination of these missions will be the successful installation and operation of Canadarm2, the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS). This leading-edge robotic technology represents Canada’s contribution to the Space Station. The development of the specialized robotics software was undertaken by a leading Canadian space company and principal contractor of the SSRMS - MD Robotics of Brampton, Ontario.

A second Canadian component will also be shipped to the ISS onboard Mission STS-98. A Canadian electronic device, called a video signal converter (VSC) will be installed during a spacewalk by an American Astronaut. It will enable camera video signals to be converted and made compatible with the fibre optic communications used inside the Destiny laboratory. The VSC was designed and built by CAE under contract to MD Robotics.